January 2012 Newsletter

GOOD NEWS FROM OUR HARVEST FAIR

Many, many thanks to everyone who participated in the Fair - from sewing, embroidering, knitting, crocheting, cooking, serving, selling, auctioning, and in the end purchasing the wares. It was a very successful day!

We are so very pleased to be able to donate to the following causes from the proceeds:

Old Saybrook Youth and Family Services Foundation/HEAT program

Old Saybrook Youth and Family Services

Warm the Children Fund?Old Saybrook

“Welcome Home Initiative, Healing Ministry”

Christ the King Spiritual Life Center

Kasulu Bible College, Kasulu, Tanzania

Again, thanks to all!

Blessings, Jackie Phyfe & Gunlog Millet

OLGA DOBBS 100 BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION FUND

Olga Dobbs has been a cherished member of Grace Church for over 30 years. Members of Olga’s family and friends have come together in a lovely way to mark this very special birthday.

At Olga’s request this Fund will be used to purchase a Fair Linen for the altar and a green sanctuary set. These beautiful additions to our worship space will, for many years to come, be a visible expression of our love and respect for Olga.

It is most appropriate to celebrate Olga with a green sanctuary set. Green is a sign of hope and Olga, through all the seasons and situations of her life, has hoped for and found the best in everything and everyone.

Dear Olga, thank you for your example of a Christian life well lived.

Barbara Bowie, Grace Chruch Altar Guild

From Olga Dobbs and Her Daughters!

We were so thrilled and touched by the outpouring of love for our mother, Olga Dobbs, at her 100th Birthday Party on November 20.

Thanks to Gunlog Millet, Jackie Phyfe, and the many helpers who planned the party, set up, donated food and cleaned up. Thanks to Al Buroff, who set up the slide show. Thanks to so many who contributed to the new Sanctuary Set and Altar Cloth in Olga’s honor.

Thanks to Betty Salldin, Barbara Bowie, and Fran Tarrio from the Altar Guild for collecting checks, choosing material and patterns for the Sanctuary Set and Altar Cloth. Thanks to Chris Hellier who lovingly shared her ideas that we adopted.

Especial thanks to Chuck and Ellendale Hoffman, our loving shepherds.

All in all, thanks to the Grace Church loving community. We felt the love of each and every one of you.

Olga Dobbs and Marian, Nancy, & Patsie

CHRISTMAS PAGEANT THANK YOU!

This year's Christmas pageant was a joyful occasion. Each year, our Church School presents the Christmas story with a cast of narrators, angels, shepherds, wise men, ancient prophets, animals and, of course, Mary and Joseph. This intergenerational pageant is the sermon for the 5:00 service on Christmas Eve, and a much loved tradition in our parish. Those who participate in this event set aside important time during the holidays to prepare for this occasion.

This year, we had some new additions to the pageant. Two Christmas dogs joined us: Noah Peace, a Portuguese Water Dog, already famous in our parish newsletter, was a sheep. Buddy Bartus, a Bijon Frise, was our Christmas lamb. They were very well behaved and a great addition to the pageant.

As always, we had some special moments during the pageant - an angel who could hardly contain his Christmas joy as he ran up and down the aisle several times, King Herod, who really got into the role of a crafty king, and an ancient prophet who spoke with eloquence and sang with gusto! In fact, each member of the cast worked hard on their parts and delivered them with style, blessing us all.

A big thank you to Betty Jo Stosse, who worked so hard on the casting for this pageant. Thank you to Jennifer Benway and Joyce Brinley, who took on the important job of costuming. Thank you to the cast who set aside their time on Christmas Eve to present the Christmas story to us with all of its joy, inviting friends, family members and parishioners into a beautiful celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ.

Thank you also to Christina Burnham, our Minister of Music, who planned with us, rehearsed with us, and then played during the pageant. Christy did all of this, in addition to playing at all three services during Christmas and providing a lot of special music. We thank you so much, Christy, for the musical support in our times of worship at Grace Church, especially over the holidays.

Thank you to Chris Hellier, our Parish Secretary, who patiently made additions and corrections to the pageant insert to the bulletin right up until it was printed, in addition to her work on all of the Christmas service bulletins.

It was a delight to present the Christmas Pageant this year.

The Rev. Ellendale Hoffman

FOOD OUTREACH

During our recession, one would expect donations to the food pantry to decrease. That has not been the case here at Grace Church where our giving has increased. Grace Church has responded significantly to the needs of others.

Many thanks to all who have contributed. As always we need cereals, peanut butter, pasta and sauce, baked beans, soups, other staples, and healthy foods.

Frank Tarrio

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